Oil on canvas with Arcadic landscape - Veneto 18th century

Refined oil on canvas depicting an Arcadian landscape characterized by ruins, vegetation, and figures rendered with balance and clarity. The composition revolves around the central body of water, which reflects a ruined tower and an arched bridge, elements that lead the viewer’s eye toward the hilltop village in the distance. In the foreground, shepherds and animals fording the stream animate the scene with a quiet rhythm, while an elegant tree to the side acts as a scenic backdrop and structures the depth of the painting. The iconographic layout recalls both the celebrated model of Marco Ricci, in particular his Campagna romana con rovine e laghetto, preserved at the Querini Stampalia Foundation in Venice, and the tradition of the ideal landscape established by Claude Lorrain, echoed here in the clarity of the sky, the harmony between nature and architecture, and the composure of the figures. The painting can be placed within the Veneto area due to its diffused luminosity, the harmonious construction of the landscape, and the characteristic integration of ruins, nature, and small pastoral figures, which are central elements of eighteenth‑century Venetian paintings. The work, presented in a gilded frame, is in excellent condition.